Content
- Cats and pheromones: a type of communication
- Types of Pheromones in Cats
- Why cats rub against people and things
- Because cats rub against people
Everyone who lives with cats knows that when a cat rubs against them, it wants something, that is, it is a way to communicate. They want to let us know that they have a need, whether it's food, company, affection or simply a way to say hello. But why do cats rub against things?
In this PeritoAnimal article, we'll explain what might be the reasons why a cat rubs itself against inanimate objects like shoes, chairs, or even the floor. Then we'll explain the meaning of this behavior!
Cats and pheromones: a type of communication
pheromones are chemical substances that transmit a message from one organism to another, in order to provoke a response in the receiver. Both the emitter and the receiver of the pheromone must be from the same species.
These chemicals are often found in natural body fluids such as urine, sweat, specialized endocrine glands, and mucous secretions from the genitals.
In mammals, pheromones are detected through the vomeronasal organ or Jacobson's organ, located in the mouth at the end of the hard roof of the mouth, so it is normal to see a cat sniff something with its mouth open.
Types of Pheromones in Cats
Cats have different types of pheromones depending on the area of the body that releases them.
There are pheromones with a sexual function, released by the perineal glands, in the urine or secretions of Organs reproductive organs. These substances serve to indicate the reproductive state in which the cat is currently in the opposite sex. In addition, they are used to mark territory, which is why unsterilized male cats mark the home with urine. The same happens when a cat goes into heat.
Cats also release pheromones through their paw pads, along with sweat. Cats only sweat from this area of the body and the substances released also serve to Mark territory. If you have a cat at home who is used to sharpening her nails on a scraper, the next cat that enters the home will learn much faster where to perform this behavior, since the pheromones released by the previous cat on the scraper will attract the new one.
Lastly, cats have pheromone-releasing glands in their lips, face and chin. This type of pheromones can change your mood negative to positive and maintain a good atmosphere at home, as this is the cat's territory.
Why cats rub against people and things
Why do cats rub their heads on people and things? When cats rub their head against an object or even the legs of a human companion, they are exploring and marking that object as familiar and safe. It is normal for you to sniff the item with your vomeronasal organ right after rubbing yourself to ensure that the object has been marked correctly, which also produces a positive and pleasant stimulus in your brain.
A study published in the German scientific journal "Animal Psychology Journal" concluded that cats, both female and male, combine sex pheromones with facial pheromones to attract the attention of the opposite sex. Furthermore, they found that rubbing with an object not only has a marking function, of whatever type, but that it is also part of the cat visual communication.
So, if a cat "butts" or rubs itself against something in the presence of another cat or animal it knows, trusts and appreciates (for example, the human being it lives with), it is showing a friendly behavior. In other words, if a cat has this behavior towards another cat or any other animal, it is saying "I feel comfortable and safe’.
Because cats rub against people
In conclusion, the reasons for facial marking of cats can be summarized in three points:
- Spatial location function: cats mark objects to delimit their territory. In addition, they mark objects that, within your field of vision, are appealing, creating a map of odors that guide you within your territory.
- Emotional stabilization function: when a cat arrives in a new place, after carrying out a quick exploration, it will start marking the territory with its face, so that it is familiar and provokes calm and confidence.
- Communication function: in cat colonies or in homes with multiple felines, the fact that several individuals rub against the same objects creates a kind of "herd odor." This has a unifying effect for the group of cats that live together.
So when your cat rubs against your legs, it's communicating with you in a positive way.
If you want to read more articles similar to Why cats rub against people and things, we recommend that you enter our Curiosities section of the animal world.